Puzzle.



R. LATHROP.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1913- 1,085,050. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

lwumtw aihro o 7/ flseal UNIT RUSSELL LATHROP, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

PUZZLE.

Application filed November 21, 1910, Serial No. 593,526. Renewed June 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUSSELL LATHROP, of the United States Army, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Corregidor Island, Cavite Province, Philippine Islands, have invented new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the follow ing is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of games or puzzles in which a game board is provided having grooves for the reception of movable markers, and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall be calculated to afford mental exercise, which shall be amusing and entertaining and the construction of which shall be simple, durable and efficient.

-Wit-h these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing,Figure 1 is a plan view, showing a preferred form of the board which forms a part of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the board, showing the markers in their initial position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the board, showing the markers in one of the positions which they may occupy after solving the puzzle. Fig. at is a sectional detail View taken on the line 4.l in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing a modified construction of the board. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 66 in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail illustrating a further modification.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

Under the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to a, inclusive and in Fig. 7 of the drawing, a board A consists o1": a plate made preferably of sheet metal and of circular shape; although any other convenient shape may be adopted. The board or plate A is provided with slots 2, 2 which combine to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914:.

Serial No. 774,350.

form approximately the figure of a sixpointed star, said figure lacking in completeness only the bridge portions 3 which are necessary to form bridges or connections between the ends of the slots 2, 2. An auxiliary slot a intersects the star-shaped figure formed by the slots 2, 2 diametrically intermediate the bridge pieces 3, 3, said slot 4 being made to intersect two of the angles of the star-shaped figure. Pockets 5 extend radially from each of the points and angles of the star-shaped figure, except from the angles intersected by the slot l, Where the place of said pockets is taken by the terminal ends 5, 5 of said slot L. The slot 4: is of suitable length to accommodate twelve markers B, said markers being numbered from 1 to 12, inclusive, as will be seen in Figs. 2 and 3. These markers, as best seen in Fig. 4, may be in the nature of buttons, each having a downwardly extending shank 7 of a diameter approximately equal to the width of the slots in the plate A.

The puzzle consists in rearranging the markers B and placing said markers in the pockets adjacent to the points and angles of the star-shaped figure in such a manner that the sum of the numbers placed in any four alining pockets in the side of one of the two.

intersecting triangles forming the six-pointed star shall equal 26 Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, but other solutions are possible.

Under the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the board here designated A instead of being provided with slots is provided with a continuous groove 2 of the shape of a six-pointed star intersected by a groove a; pockets 5 being formed adjacent to each of the points and angles except the angles intersected by the groove 4L, where the terminal ends 5 of said groove take the place of the pockets. In other respects the construction is similar to that hereinbeiore described, and similar markers are provided.

Under the construction illustrated in Fig. 7, the markers, one of which designatedB is here shown, are provided with slot-engaging shanks 7 the lower ends of which are enlarged to form heads 8, whereby the withdrawal or loss of the markers will be prevented, it being understood that the board in this instance is of a construction similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. It is obvious that when this construction is re sorted to, the markers must be moved into position to solve the puzzle by sliding them in the slots 2 and 4, thus somewhat complicating the solution of the puzzle.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A puzzle board having a 1narker-re-- ceiving guideway approximately representing the figure of a six-pointed star intersected by a diametrical line, and the points and angles of said figures having pockets adjacent thereto, some of said pockets being formed by the terminal ends of the intersecting line, in combination with guideWay-engaging markers numbered from l to 12 consecutively; said pockets being in communication with the guideway and of dimensions to accommodate a marker without obstructing the guideway.

2. A puzzle board consisting of a plate having slots combining to form a markerreceiving guideway of the approximate outline of a six-pointed star intersected by a diametrical line, the points and angles of said star-shaped figure being provided with pockets adjacent thereto, some of said pockets being formed by the terminal ends of the intersecting line slot, in combination with guideWay-engaging markers numbered from l to 12 consecutively; said pockets being in communication with the guideway and of dimensions to accommodate a marker without obstructing the guideway.

3. A puzzle board having a marker receiving guideway formed of two separate slots combining to form approximately the outline of a six-pointed star, said slots being intersected intermediate the ends thereof by a diametrical slot, and the points and angles of the star-shaped figure being provided with pockets adjacent thereto and radiating outwardly from said slots, some of said pockets being formed by the terminal ends of the intersecting line slot, in combination with guideway engaging markers numbered from 1 to 12 consecutively; said pockets being in communication with the guideway and of dimensions to accommodate a marker without obstructing the guideway.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RUSSELL LATHROP.

W'itnesses:

M. E. PHILBROOK, C. M. CHASE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

